AIFS Abroad Reviews

My time with Global Experiences has been incredible. Overall the program is very structured and organized which made me always feel comfortable and safe. I have met wonderful people through GE, my internship, and language school who I know I will always stay connected to no matter where we are located in the world. My internship in Fashion Business gave me experience I couldn't get elsewhere. How many people can say they have worked a Milan Fashion Week Sales Campaign??? I loved learning the details of what happens behind the scenes in the fashion industry, and it was awesome working with collections for the next year! Aside from my internship, I learned a lot about myself from living in a foreign country. Every day was a challenge, but I loved every day I had here in Milan!

I had never been to Italy before and didn't know an ounce of Italian. Coming here, the first two weeks I was home sick and couldn't understand anyone and wanted to go home. By the end of my 3 month stay in Milan I didn't want to leave. I could understand everyone for the most part, I was so comfortable in my setting and the culture, learning so much about myself was having so much fun! I never thought of coming to Milan before and now I can't wait to come and visit the city and the friends I have made during my time here. This experience was amazing for me, mentally and physically and of course giving me a lot more detail to add to my resume! I would definitely recommend this experience to anyone. Traveling gives you so much more than any education you could pay for.

Stepping onto a plane that would take me to another country alone was daunting, a country that speaks a different language, and a country where I knew no one. The plane ride consisted of nervous but good nerves, awaiting to see what would happen. The second I walked into my Tica (Costa Rican) house, I felt at home. My home stay family was more than welcoming and immediately brought me to their grandparents house for a birthday party. I became a part of the family in a way I never thought possible. Living with my family for four months created a bond that I think about everyday now. The amount of cultural immersion I experienced will never be taken for granted. AIFS paired me with a family that I am waiting to go back and see very soon. The cultural excursions that were included into the program forced me to get out there and see how traveling can be done so easily. I formed relationships with friends I still talk to today and I matured immensely over this time, being on my own but always having the support of AIFS to have my back. The classes I took at Veritas University were just as challenging as my classes here in the United States but my favorite part was the teachers. They were always using creative ways to help us learn and understand. I took tropical marine biology and what we learned in class was applied hand-on when we went snorkeling and had to identify what we learned in the classroom. This type of learning was so beneficial because we got to apply what we learned and see it in real life. Another class that I absolutely loved was Spanish for Health Professions. I learned how to speak to a patient in spanish and how to perform certain tasks, all in spanish. I plan moving onto Physician Assistant school following graduation and continuing my spanish for the health field is a goal of mine. Costa Rica had it all for me. Even though my friends who went to Europe got to travel to so many countries, I was able to explore in depth everything Costa Rica offered. Costa Rica is so diverse and I was able to go to both the Atlantic and Caribbean sides, the cloud rain forest, tropical rain forest, and to the mountains. Every trip was always an adventure and completely affordable. All I need now is a plane ticket to go back to the place that helped me find out who I really am.

The program I studied abroad through, AIFS Richmond in Rome, provides all students with an excursion to Venice. Before departing, the weather prediction showed flooding throughout the city. We all prepared and bought rain boots, jackets and umbrellas. On the first night in the city, most of the students in my program were all hiding from the cold weather in a hotel room. My friends and I were curious about the flooding, so we decided to go check out Saint Mark's Square, the lowest point in the city. We took off on the drizzly, wet streets of Venice, following signs to our destination. As we neared the piazza, we walked across elevated paths, or cat-walks, that the city set up above the water. The piazza was flooded with about one foot of water, with city lights reflecting into the flood. We danced around in the water to the flood sirens that blared throughout the city and had one of the most memorable nights of our lives.

Prague is the most incredible city. I loved that it was culturally different from home, but AIFS staff helped make me feel more comfortable. It is an all inclusive program, which means that you don't have to worry about housing, meals, transportation, and more. While there are some additional fees for optional trips, it's great that they offer those in addition to other cultural activities, like cooking classes and hiking trips. I would 1000% go back to Prague and I would most definitely use AIFS again.

Salzburg was the perfect combination between a city and a small town. It is a small town that captivates its visitors with its beauty and charm. Spending my fall semester in Salzburg was hands down the best experience because the weather was incredible and the tourism was low. My favorite part was the Christmas Markets in November. It was an unforgettable experience to be able to fully immerse myself in the Austrian Christmas spirit, the culture, climb mountains filled with snow in the winter, and see the leaves fall in autumn. Going abroad with 40 people you have never met before can feel like an intimidating thing to do but I could not have imagined a better group of people to have traveled and laughed with.

You do not need to use Global Experience or spend over $15 000 on an unpaid summer internship. Global Experience is a huge rip off, I had the most amazing summer but it wasn't because of anything from Global Experience. I met so many incredible people who were doing internships without paying the $15 000 it costs for Global Experience with all of the extra fees and hidden costs. HUGE AMOUNT OF HIDDEN COSTS. The housing was decent but more expensive then what other people were paying, there were 4 "social outings" that really shouldn't have cost more then $200. A lot of people had safety concerns with their placements and Global Experience didn't help them once they were in England. I was lucky enough not to have safety concerns but I defiantly worried about my roommates. I definitely recommend interning abroad it will change your life and be amazing, but don't use an overpriced company with mediocre staff and ones that provide half decent internships. Would definitely work abroad again but never use this company.

Global Experiences is a fantastic company! I have gone through them twice, once for an internship in London and one in New York City! Each experience was completely different from the last. My experience in London was absolutely amazing! I truly enjoyed my internship they placed me in an area that was great for me and where I made a life long mentor and friend! In New York I got to learn how a larger company was ran and met many nice people who where happy to help me in my future endeavors! Not only did I learn a lot through my experiences I got many great connections! Living abroad and experiencing new things is something that has helped shape my life and I would do it again and again if I could!!

As a seasoned traveller, I wanted to seek out an internship that combined work experience with culture immersion. Enter Global Experiences.

After sifting through dozens of intern and study abroad programs, I narrowed down my hefty list to just a handful. Out of those few, Global Experiences was the first to get back to me. What surprised me about this program was that the application to participate wasn't readily available, you had to speak with a consultant first. I liked the way the consultants reached out and scheduled a one on one meeting with you over the phone instead of sending an information packet to your mailbox. From the beginning, the staff was dedicated to meeting my needs and specifications as a person seeking employment for a very specific sector of jobs. While there were over 100 interns in my summer program, I never felt like I was pushed aside. My emails during the entire process were always answered quickly and everyone was so informative.

Global Experiences assisted with everything from cover letter and resume review, to interview tips and visa advice. The staff was also able to assist me with finding a second part-time internship, after the one I really wanted was only looking for a part-time intern. I loved both of my placements and don't think I would've found either of them looking on my own.

Since we were staying in Central London, I didn't have super high hopes for the housing they would provide, but I was pleasantly surprised when the accommodation had 24/7 security staff, spacious and clean rooms, and was in a great location. I got on really well with the flatmates I was assigned, so it seems like there was thought put into that as well.

While there were set activities for us to participate in through GE, it didn't occupy every weekend. This left plenty of time to go visit other places and see what else Europe had to offer. Weekend trips included Bath and Stonehenge and Brighton, but there were also events like a networking night and a visit to the Globe Theater to watch a show.

I highly recommend this program to those who are looking for independence with structure. I say that because students that are willing to go to a foreign country by themselves for this type of experience are probably very independent, but will need a hand in sorting out all the logistics. It's hard to know exactly what visa you need and how you're going to get international organizations to look at your resume. Global Experiences provided a great balance of giving me the opportunity but still allowing me to decide whether to take it. I did take it, and I'm so happy I did.

I am a native of Arizona and have never lived anywhere else. Going to New York gave me a completely different perspective. I would even go as far as saying it gave me a wake up call. After this summer program I have much more appreciation and respect for different cultures. I met some the most amazing people on my trip that I will never forget. I met life long friends who I will keep in contact with from here on out. I also got to find out more about myself. Three pieces of advice I have for anyone who is reading this is.

"You must be uncomfortable to be comfortable"

"Life is literally too short, so put down your cell phone or any other electronics and meet people and go enjoy the outdoors"

"Stay positive, no matter what the circumstance or situation is"